The Mafia: Roberto's story
by Random Cheese
Summary: Roberto, a 20 year old kid, who knew nothing about New York, and the mafia, gets dragged into it unexpectedly. Will he be able to cope? Written in firstperson, from Roberto's view. Please R & R, all feedback welcome!
1. Crossfire

New York, the bustling Metropolis of Neon lights and skyscrapers. The clear blue sky, and the idyllic surroundings surround you. You can barely take it all in… Small time businesses, left, right and centre. The friendly world, everyone knows your name, and everyone knows everyone else. Everyone gets on here, and the police force here is second to none…

Boy, was I wrong. New York in 1949 was a hell of a lot different. Those businesses I was on about, they were nothing more than fronts for weapons, drugs, brothels, and you name it. The police force, yeah, they're corrupt as hell. They'll take bribes from anyone and everyone, just to get as much money as possible, and they'd accept it faster than lightning striking.

Did I mention New York being safe? Well, it's every man for himself out there. It's a world of brutality out there, murdering, hits, and all that stuff. The Five Families were in an all out war, and no one was safe. I guess New York's not so much of an idyllic place now?

So, I guess you could say my story was a weird one, couldn't you? Now, I bet you're wondering how I got caught up in this mafia stuff? How did a good kid like me end up going off the straight and narrow? Well, if you'll sit and listen, it all began when I was 20 years old. I was young, foolish, and naïve…

'Thank you Roberto' the old lady said softly, and she smiled gratifyingly at me.

She was my mother, the nicest person in the world. She needed my help everywhere, not that I minded. I was her minder, except that I didn't get paid. She was all I had in my life, and it was all I knew. It was cold that day when it all began, and there was a bitter wind howling. She was wrapped up tightly, and needed my help more than usual; she couldn't see where she was going.

It wasn't the usual weather as well; it was very dark and stormy. I really unpleasant day, I didn't see why she wanted to go outside. We crossed many streets slowly, we didn't have a car, you see, and we eventually made our way outside the Bowery Hotel.

My mother coughed, and started to heave badly due to the bitter conditions. It was a really pathetic day, and I went to check on her. Two men walked across the street, though, and another two men looked around cautiously, seemingly guarding the hotel, of something or someone. Also, the sound seemed to be drained from the area, and the tension could be cut with a knife… of course, I didn't notice it, though, as I was busy looking after my mother.

The two men near us drew some Magnums from their coats, but hid them out of sight, towards the pockets. The other two men ducked slightly behind two parked cars, and pulled out Pistols, again hiding them. The tension was mounting among the street, and there was starting to be a lack of people walking around. Until… it finally happened. They stopped hiding their guns, and they all shot.

I instinctively ducked, but my mother, being old, didn't. She was caught in the crossfire, and got shot repeatedly. She… she died, immediately. I still weep about it, till this day. I began to cry that time as well, but a man ducked, and gave me a .38 Snub Nose Pistol… why I don't know…

'Kid, follow me' he said gruffly to me.

He shot the other of the two guys, and everyone was dead on the floor, except for him. He shoved me into the driver's seat of a car, and got into the other side.

'You know what the Benatzi Hall is?' he asked, 'otherwise known as the Benatzi Compound?'

'Y…Yeah…' I said quietly, drying my eyes.

'Drive there, now!' he shouted.

I hit the accelerator, and we were off, leaving the scene of death and destruction. He pulled out a Tommy Gun, and loaded it with ammo. He rolled down the window and looked out. He began shooting at a car following us. I swerved the car in and out of traffic, and it crashed into an oncoming car. I swerved the car around a corner, and he was forced into the side of it.

'Kid, can you do me a favour?' he asked irritably, 'stop driving erratically!'

I carried on driving the car, taking heed to his words, but I didn't know why. At that point, I had nothing left in my life, so I guess I had to. What if I didn't? What would I do? Nothing? What would you have done? I was already getting involved with the mafia, and I didn't know it.

So, I drove, and drove. The man kept shooting and reloading at various cars that were tailing us, saying nothing to me. Eventually, no more tailed us, and he rolled up the window, and put the gun away.

'All in a days work' he said, satisfied.

We eventually arrived at the Compound. It was empty, and it was usually a bustling area of mayhem most of the time. The man got out of the car, and smiled happily. It wasn't the nice smile of mother, though; it was that satisfied smile, the smile of a killer.

'We did it' he said, 'but I'm sorry for your mother. It was just business, but you can't spend all your time mourning.'

I looked at him in disbelief. He had no remorse in his face, and I just had feelings of rage coming up.

'YOU… YOU…'

I ran at him, and started to try and attack him, but he grabbed both of my arms, and held them to the side.

'Kid, I know you're angry, but I'll teach you to control it. Listen to me; I'm an Associate in the Benatzi family. I am part of the mafia family… I'm James Stanten.'

I looked at him in horror, and shook my head.

'I want you to do some jobs for some family members, and myself and hey, maybe one day you may join us. One day, you may join us as a full time member. What else do you have now, anyway?'

I looked at him, and contemplated it. He was right though; I had nothing left now that my mother… and what could I do. I did the only thing I could. Would I be a bad person if I did the only thing possible?

'Fine, what is it you want?' I replied quickly.


	2. The Basics

Just for the record, I was an average height man, with an average build. I had short black hair, and a half-shaven beard. I was wearing a red shirt, undone by the collar, and wasn't tucked in as well. I had some black trousers and black shoes on. Needless to say, I didn't look threatening. Like I'd ever be able to intimidate anyone.

The guy who saved me, James, on the other hand, was every bit intimidating. He was no cuddly teddy bear, I'll tell you that. He was a big build dude, very muscled. He was wearing a grey suit and trousers. He had black shoes and a tie on. He had a white shirt on, and a grey, short-brimmed Federa hat sitting on his head. This guy truly looked like a mobster. He could probably break your legs in half. I sure didn't look like on, which is a bit of a problem.

He gave me loads of guns, so I was pretty much kitted out. I had a Pistol, a Magnum, a Tommy Gun, and a Shotgun, on top of the .38 Snub Nose Pistol. He taught me the basics of being a mobster, and other stuff as well. He showed me about precision shooting, covering your body, and how to make a guy suffer as well. I was a great learner, if I say so myself, and picked it all up quickly. I was soon ready, or so I believed.

'Kid, what you need to remember is, it's not all about shooting people' James told me, 'you have to act stealthily as well. Now, kid, it's time to go for a walk.'

We walked out of the Compound, and instead of driving, we made our way down the street. Some people knew my new friend, if you could call him that, and they tipped their caps to him, or bowed. Others just walked past him. At that point, I had a glimpse of the extent of mafia power.

'I work for the Benatzi. You do what the family wants, what it asks of you, and they reward you. You get money, as well as places to lay low, if you get the heat on you' he told me, 'Okay, you have to give a cut of your money to the family, but that pays for weapons, ammo, and stuff like that for other family members. So, you interested, kid?'

'Sure' I answered quickly. I don't know why, but the mafia was starting to seem appealing to me. James pointed to a shop, and then looked back at me.

'That baker over there, he hasn't been paying us for our protection' James explained, 'It's your job to go in, and extort as much money as you can, out of him. Intimidate him any way you see fit.'

I walked across the street, and made my way into the bakery. The baker came from the back room, and looked at me.

'Anything I can do sir?' he asked.

'Yeah, there is.' I told him, as menacingly as possible, 'you can pay your share to the Benatzi, that's what. We're protecting you, so you give us money, got it?'

'Hell no, I don't need your damn protection' he replied.

'Is that so?' I replied, pulling out a baseball bat.

I walked over to the nearest of the counters, and whacked it over it, causing a dent in the counter. I whacked it over each of the counters in turn, and the baker ran into the back room. I followed him, and put it away. I then grabbed him, and forced his head over the oven.

'If you don't pay up, they'll be a new type of bread' I told him.

'Fine, I'll pay… just let me go, leave as well' he pleaded.

I pulled his head from over the oven, and let go of him. He gave me $721, and I pocketed it. Right then, I felt a sense of achievement and power over me. I finally managed to intimidate someone. It felt good… So, I began to walk out the door, and well, a copper was in the way.

'Trying to be a big man, are we?' he asked arrogantly, 'I can help you. For a little… something.'

He held out his hand in front of me.

'All right, I don't want any trouble' I replied, stuffing $200 into his hand.

The officer nodded his cap to me, and I left the bakery, as he walked off in another direction. I ran back to James, and gave him the $521. He smiled at me, and nodded his head in approval.

'The baker folded then' he said simply.

I nodded in reply, and looked around for the copper.

'Good work, kid' he said, 'now listen to me. I have some work that I desperately need to do, but there are two people who I've recommended you to. They want to see you, tomorrow. Go to Brooklyn, you know, East of Little Italy, where we are now, and meet with Bryan DiMaggio, and Jake Falici.'

With that, he nodded his head to me, and tipped his cap slightly. He walked off down the street, and got in a speeding car that pulled up. He jumped in the back of it, pulled the window down, and drew a Tommy Gun. I watched as two police cars chased them, as they drove off down the street. I looked at what I'd got myself into. I shook my head, as I found a car down an empty street.


	3. Roberto's First Hit

I hotwired it, much to my brilliance, and drove it as fast as I could. I got onto the Manhattan Bridge rather quickly, and after some swift overtaking on it, as was into Brooklyn. I parked outside a hotel, and stayed the night. My mind was racing at this point. I couldn't help thinking, who were they? What did they want? What would I have to do?

I found them the following morning. They were in a club in the heart of Brooklyn. I made the way to the bar counter and asked for a drink. Just a glass of water, nothing adventurous.

'And is there a Falici or DiMaggio here?' I asked quickly.

Two guys at the bar looked over to me. They made their way over and shook my hand quickly and violently.

'Hey, I'm Bryan DiMaggio' one man said.

He was bald, and had a black suit, trousers, and shoes. He was wearing an unbuttoned white shirt. Another man moved to the forefront after DiMaggio introduced himself.

'And I'm Jake Falici' the other said.

He was smaller than the other, and a brown trench coat, tie and trousers. He had shiny black shoes, and a white shirt on. He had short, untidy dark brown hair, and was grinning at me.

'Jake's colour coded, as you can see' Bryan said coolly.

'You're just bitter at the fact that your own son is higher up in the family than you are!' Jake replied coldly.

They looked at me, not staring at the other. I finished my drink quickly, and apprehensively I left the bar. They escorted me into a car nearby, parked in an alley. What's up with them using alleys anyway? Is it some kind of unwritten mobster code? Anyway, Bryan and Jake got into the front, and Bryan drove, with me sitting in the back, trying to look like I wasn't scared as hell.

'James recommended you, you know?' Bryan told me, not diverting his attention from the road.

'Well, we'll get to see how good the kid is, won't we?' Jake said grinning at me.

I grinned back, but as I stated earlier, I was nervous as hell. Okay, James gave you a feeling of comfort and protection, but for a kid whose only recently got into the family, two guys bickering with each other, who're meant to be on the same page, would unnerve you slightly.

'We're going to whack this soldier; Joey Partini' Jake told me, 'he's been causing the family too much trouble. Smuggling the families stuff, taking weapons, valuable items, and using them for his own gain. You've got your gun with you, haven't you? We're going to go in, and you're going to follow us. But, don't draw your gun until we do, okay? We don't want Partini escaping before he gets killed.'

I nodded back to Jake, and he grinned yet again.

'Don't worry kid' he said, 'you'll do fine.'

I barely had enough time to take everything in, as we reached our destination. We got out of the car, and Jake and Bryan pointed to a club where Partini was. All three of us walked over the street, and made our way to his hideout. A guard stood outside the door.

'Who the hell are you?' he asked gruffly.

'We're friends of Partini' Jake replied.

'Really? He ain't expecting no friends' the guard said.

'Is that the case?' Jake replied.

'Or is you grammar and ignorance that bad?' Bryan chimed in, as Jake moved quickly behind him.

Jake pulled out a Garrotte, and chocked the guard. The guard fell to his knees, and finally to the ground dead. Jake nodded to Bryan and then to a dumpster, where they dragged the guards body, laying it inside it, and closing it quickly. They made their way back to me, and entered the club.

'Don't want to raise suspicions' Jake whispered to me.

Not one person suspected us, and that was saying something. We made our way easily through the club, and eventually into a back room, where Joey was, huddled over some crates. Joey quickly reached into his pocket, and Bryan laughed.

'Come on now Joey, we're not here to kill you!' Bryan said, walking to one of the two other mobsters, stealthily drawing his own gun.

'Nah, we just want to talk, Joey, don't get excited' Jake added, also drawing his own gun, out of sight.

I stayed behind the two of them, but I also drew my gun inside my pocket. I chose the Magnum, I felt it the best. We all looked and smiled at Joey.

'Listen, Joey, we want to make you a deal' Jake said, 'you stop taking our stuff and giving it to other families, get it?'

'I don't know what you're on about!' Joey replied angrily.

'Sure?' Bryan asked.

Bryan nodded, and instantaneously, Bryan and Jake drew their guns, and shot the mobsters. I pulled out my gun, and shot Joey in the knee, as he reached for his gun, and the mobsters keeled over as well. I shot Joey in his arm, and he staggered backwards. I shot Joey in the chest, and he fell out of the window, into the dumpster Jake and Bryan opened earlier. I had just become the thing I didn't want to be though… the thing that separated me from them, I had become a killer… but, I liked it…

We put away our guns, and left the back room. A guard came in, and looked at Jake as he shut the door. He put a finger on his lips and smiled.

'Joey's just taking a nap' Jake whispered.

We got into our car, and we drove off. After we got round a corner, Jake and Bryan burst out laughing.

'Kid, you were brilliant!' Jake said, turning round, and grinning, 'quick thinking, I like it!'

The car stopped later, and dropped me off in Little Italy.

'Kid, you were brilliant!' Bryan said, 'you'll go far!'

I got out of the car, and they drove off. I was slapped on the back, and I turned round. James was behind me, and he smiled.

'We've got some work to do' James said, 'major work!'


	4. Unexpected End

James walked off down the street, and I followed him, close behind.

'You seem to be making an impact, kid' James told me, 'you seem to be making a name for yourself, which will help, I guarantee you that!'

'I'm only doing the best I can' I replied, gaining a sense of pride.

'Your best seems to be very good' James replied, laughing, 'and Jake told me about your initiative!'

James stopped, and I bumped into him. He laughed and looked at me.

'Now listen, kid. We've got something big going down tonight, very big' James said, 'it's imperative that you listen, and listen VERY well, ok?'

A taxi pulled up, and he climbed in. I looked on, apprehensively, and James laughed. You have to have your wits about you. James didn't hail that cab, so I was a little suspicious.

'Kid, don't worry, you won't get whacked!' James said, escorting me into the door.

James closed the taxi door, and the taxi drove off.

'Afternoon, Mario' James said to the driver.

'Afternoon' he replied, 'Viaci stronghold, here we come!'

Mario was about the same build as me, and was dressed completely in black. It was like he was an undertaker, or something. He had short, neatly combed black hair, and a black moustache, that I saw from the mirror.

'Right, James, you go in, and pretend to be distraught over your treatment here in the family. You'll then try to get as much information and plans from Johnny and Ricardo Armando. You'll then leave, and never show up again. You need to get as much information as possible in one sitting, ok?' Mario told him.

James nodded, before looking at me, and smiling.

'You'll sneak around the back, and also collect the information I squeeze out of them. If anything happens to me, get out of there, ok?' James said.

'I'll then drive you guys off, pretending to be a taxi, and hopefully all three of us will get out of there with no problem at all!' Mario added.

By the time we got to the club in Brooklyn, it was dark, and there were only a couple of streetlights by the club. Mario pulled up opposite it, and he wished us good luck, and we got out. He waved, and pulled out a newspaper. James walked over, and entered from the front door. I then went around to the back alley by the club, and pulled out a Garrotte Wire.

I crouched and moved stealthily and silently. You see, when you crouch, and move with caution, there's little to no sound emitted from you. I used shadows, boxes, and whatever I could find as cover. There was only one guy standing guard. I crept up to him slowly, jumped, and pulled the wire round his neck. He fell to his knees, and then to the floor. He was dead… I put the wire away, and looked into the window.

James was standing with the two twins, Johnny and Ricardo Armando, who were a pair of Viaci soldiers. I guess the higher ups of the Viaci family didn't see James as that important, as they only sent low down soldiers to see him…

'So you want to join the Viaci do you?' Ricardo asked.

James nodded, while Johnny began pacing behind him.

'They have treated someone as valuable as you unfairly?' Ricardo asked.

That was an overstatement. Although James was a member of the family, he was in no way valuable, really. There were many people in James' rank, so it's likely they were trying to get something. James nodded, and Ricardo smiled.

'So, if you now want to work for us, let me ask you, what are the Benatzi planning?' Ricardo asked.

'I don't know' James replied simply.

'Okay' Ricardo replied.

'What are you planning?' James asked hopefully.

'Something big' Ricardo said, 'really big, but we can't tell you what. So, what do the Benatzi have planned?'

'I told you, I don't know' James replied, with a bite of impatience in his voice.

'That's too bad' Ricardo said.

Johnny pulled a Garrotte out, and began to strangle James. I let out an audible shock, and hid behind a crate, as Ricardo saw me. I drew out a Magnum, and I heard a thud, which was surely James' body. Ricardo and Johnny ran out, both of them having drew pistols.

'Looks like the kid's playing hide and seek!' Johnny said, laughing.

Johnny walked out, and walked towards the crate I was behind.

'I wonder where he is?' he asked sarcastically.

He walked around it, and suddenly I pulled the trigger, blowing his brains out instantly. Ricardo swore, and ran towards me. I looked out from the crate, and shot Ricardo in the heart, where he fell to the ground, dead, instantly. I put my gun away, and ran out of the alley, and into the taxi. Mario threw his newspaper down, and looked back.

'What happened-'

'He's dead, just drive!' I told Mario.

Mario put his foot on the accelerator, and we were gone instantly.

'What happened then?' Mario asked.

'They shot him, and I killed them' I told him, 'they said something about something big going down. I don't know when, but something big is going to happen!'

Mario carried on driving, as I contemplated what they could have planned.


	5. Emergency

Something big… I wondered what they meant by something big. It never occurred to me what actually happened. I was still in shock from James' death. Mario swerved in and out of traffic, driving erratically. He was cursing fluently under his breath, and constantly using the car horn. Mario was a lot more uptight now, and at every light he hit the wheel in anger.

'What the hell did they mean?' he asked aloud.

'I don't know' I said, 'was there anything planned today?'

'No, not that I know of' Mario said, 'I only hope it won't rock the family to the core.'

'Knowing them it would' I added, unhelpfully, as Mario hit the wheel, while the lights changed.

Mario drove off immediately, and I was glad I had my seatbelt on… otherwise I may have bit the dust from his mad driving. We reached Little Italy in the early hours of the morning, but we couldn't find any people. Mario swore again, and parked the car. He turned round and looked at me.

'You better get some sleep' he said, 'we can't do anything till later today.'

So we slept, and slept. I woke up and Mario was driving again, as erratic as usual. I checked my pockets; all my stuff was there. It was a bitter day outside, so Mario couldn't have a cigarette, and he had the heater on full. Suddenly, he put the breaks on the car, and we stopped in the middle of the road.

'Shit' he said.

I looked out the windscreen, and he pointed out the people to me. There was an old man, probably in his sixties, who had greying black hair. He was wearing a plain grey suit, and Mario told me he was Don Benatzi. Apparently, he was so important that no one knew his first name. Mario then pointed out Adam, one of his sons. He was the shortest there. He had short brown hair, and was wearing a grey suit like his father. I guess he must've had a short genome or something.

He then pointed out Gabriel to me. He was wearing a black suit, and he had slightly longer black hair. He had his tie undone though, and was laughing and joking with his brothers. Finally, Mario pointed out Robert, the quietest of the four. He was much like Gabriel, but had neatly combed hair, and had a very smart black suit on. He was also the only one wearing a Federa hat, probably to blend in.

'Oh super crap!' Mario shouted.

Another car pulled up behind the Benatzi family, and four men got out of it. Mario ran out of our car, and I followed suit. Both Mario and me pulled out a Magnum, and began shooting. The thugs shot, but not at us. Gabriel ran over to his father, and pulled him out of safety. However, Gabriel fell to the ground, his shirt and suit bloodstained.

We kept shooting, and Robert drew a Pistol he was carrying. Our combined shooting power managed to take down the thugs, but we all cursed, almost in sync. Another car pulled up, and more thugs came out. An ambulance began to pull up, and two medics got out. However, they were both gunned down after they got Gabriel in the ambulance.

Mario then let out a scream of pain and looked around. He was slumped next to a car, holding his shoulder. It looked as if he was hit. It didn't look fatal, but I was left wondering, where the hell is the reinforcements? Needless to say, I kept shooting, but things started to look hopeless. Suddenly another car pulled up, and a man got out, pulling a Tommy Gun out.

He had brown hair, and was wearing a grey suit and had a black tie on. He had dark green eyes, and had a look of terror on his face. He immediately pulled the trigger, and shot all of the thugs down with one clip. He reloaded and then looked to me.

'Get in the ambulance, now!' he shouted, angrily.

I ran to the side, using cars as cover, and managed to get into the driving seat of the ambulance. The door on the passenger side opened, and Robert Benatzi got in. He nodded his head to me, and pulled down his window. I drove the ambulance, putting the sirens on immediately.

'Sir, who was that man?' I asked.

'Peter DiMaggio, a trusted Capo' Robert said, getting a Tommy Gun out.

I swerved in and out of traffic; they seemed to be deliberately trying to stop us getting to the hospital. I looked in the rear mirror, and there was a car following us. Robert looked out, and began shooting them. I made a quick couple of turns, and coupled with Robert's accuracy, the tail was destroyed easily.

We finally stopped at the hospital, and as I pulled up, Robert got out quickly. Robert opened the back of the ambulance, and some medics got his brother out quickly, and Robert ran in after his brother. Another car pulled up, containing Adam and Peter. Adam ran into the hospital, but Peter walked over to me.

'Good work, kid' he said.

'I didn't do much' I said, uncomfortably.

'You did' Peter replied, 'you held off the attackers for long enough for me to get there, and there was only one casualty. Even so, you managed to get Gabriel here in time, so that's all that matters. He'll pull through; he's a tough kid.'

'What about Mario?' I asked.

'A scratch' Peter said, 'he's getting patched up now.'

'What about the Don?' I asked.

'Inquisitive, aren't you?' Peter replied, chuckling, 'the Don is safe in the Compound, under heavy protection. Kid, you'll be on guard duty one of the nights. You won't be alone; obviously, you're only an Outsider. Not many people trust you. If you don't mess it up, you'll stand in good stead for promotion.'

Peter walked into the hospital, and I walked off down the street, and I found a hotel to stay at until I was needed for guard duty.


End file.
